What would be the big differences to expect from a casual outdoor vacation through New Hampshire vs. Vermont? Is the Green Mountain area similar to the White Mountain area?

Vermont vs. New hampshire...
Going thru the Green Mountains you go thru beautiful green rolling hills, smaller villages, less developed. New Hampshire has rockier mountains, more developed, more rugged.
When i think of Vermont (and I spend alot of time in each state) I think of farmers, artists, rolling green pastures, and little villages with general stores.
When I think of New Hampshire I think of lakes with speed boats, sportsmen, harleys and pizza places in strip malls in rural areas.
There are certainly exceptions but I guess it's my 2 cents and may not help too much-and I may get a severe flaming! But why pick one?! They are right next door to each other!

thanks crosbie, that helps support my suspicions. it's never explicitly written in books, reviews, etc. but i do get the sense that vermont is a cozier, friendlier place. safe to say?

You can definitely visit both states as they are adjacent to eachother and then form your own opinions as to which state you like better. For two states that look somewhat similar on a map, they couldnt be more different! I too, like Vermont much better, but then again I was born, raised (on the NH border) and still live here, so you could say I'm a bit biased!
What kinds of things are you looking to do on your vacation? How long will you be here? You could spend a few days in the Stowe area and take in all the great scenery, hiking, biking, swimming etc, and then drive over to the White's. I'd suggest staying in Jackson and avoiding North Conway (very built up, outlet shopping, traffic etc). Or stay at the Mount Washington Hotel - gorgeous setting. Near the Mt. Washington is the Cog Railway, and numerous hiking opportunities.
Feel free to post back and let us know more about what interests you etc...and maybe we can give you some more ideas.
Hope this helps!

Since I live in NH, but very close to Vt, I have a pretty good feel for the differences between the two states. All in all, I would have to say Vermont is prettier - some of the rural back roads can rival anything in Tuscany or Austria. Vermont is quite unspoiled and undeveloped (although some of the ski areas are trying to change that). New Hampshire on the other hand, has some spectacular, rugged mountains and beautiful crystal clear lakes. New Hampshire is a hikers and kyakers paradise, with many hiking trails above tree line. Beacuse most of NH has flinty, thin soil there are less farms and open fields than in Vt. The Green Mountains of Vt are much older and rounded than NH's craggy White Mountains. You are more liklely to see moose in NH, cows in Vt, but this is a generalization.

Wow. Yes, Crosbie, you should be "flamed," but I'll leave it to someone else. Both states are "cozier, friendlier"--it just depends on where you are in each. No one has mentioned that New Hampshire does have a seacoast area--granted it's very small, but it's lovely and the gateway sort of to southern Maine. Zootsie has given you the best information so far. I suggest you visit both states and let us know what you think. Where, by the way, are you coming from?

thanks to all for your responses. i'm looking for a quiet, drive-through-the-countryside, hike-some-small-trails experience during the fall season and suspect vermont would be the better place. generally it seems flights into manchester n.h are cheaper though. and the descriptions of the white mountains (jackson / gorham area) sound excellent. i probably only have 3-4 days to work with so want to keep a focused but relaxed itinerary.

OK then, if you decide to use Manchester Airport, which is excellent by the way, and you have only 3-4 days, I think you should head for the Monadnock Region of southern New Hampshire; you can hike Mt. Monadnock and it fills the bill for leisurely drives through beautiful countryside as well.

http://www.peterboroughchamber.com/rec.htm

For visiting the Monadnock Region this is a good place to start.

There is fabulous scenery all about.

I would go to the White Mountains area, that is where i am heading next month. Vermont is greener, NH more extreme.

Vermont

Generalization for the casual visitor: yes, VT is 'friendlier' and more tourist friendly IMO. I've been to both several times as a casual tourist and I find the 2 states very different.
Residents may well see things differently but I'm willing to bet that the majority of casual visitors (certainly not all) come away with similar impressions.

Shame on Crosbie for categorizing all of the beautiful state of New Hampshire by his description of one tiny area of the state!
Vermont is nice, but Jackson and Gorham in New Hampshire are just gorgeous! The green pastoral villages of Vermont are pretty, but kind of monotonous after a while. IMO, more natural beauty, better trails in New Hampshire. The Monadnock area is also a great suggestion.

I prefer NH. Somehow it seems more real and less Disneyesque. They are both beautiful states however and you can't go wrong with either. IMO the biggest difference is that the non-natives in Vermont are mostly NYer's and the non-natives in NH are mostly originally from Massachusetts.

Thats an interesting point shaz, perhaps why I prefer NH is because I am from MA!
NH being less "disneyesque" is an excellent, (and IMO acurate) description.

I live in Vermont and for my 4th of july holiday I chose a day in New Hampshire. Franconia State park and a ride on the "kank" highway offer spectacular scenery.
As for friendlier people, I might even go with our neighbors to the east as some folks can be a little snooty around here.
They share your views about VT and NH as well.

Flying into Burlington can be pretty expensive so many folks fly into Manchester or Albany. I'd say inns are generally cheaper in New Hampshire. Don't get caught up in borders or reputations. Both states have a lot to offer.

Hi! We just got back from a three day trip in Stowe of Vermont, which we loved. Hoping to go to NH in the spring or fall… not sure yet. We mostly enjoy hiking. We are pretty down to earth, don’t need anything to fancy but clean, safe and welcoming would be our priorities. Open to all suggestions, thank you in advance, Cheers! 🇨🇦

So glad to hear you ended up in Vermont and that you had a good trip!

The original thread was twenty years ago. I just answered a question about driving from Maine to Stowe. I think there's a lot of old posts you can research. If you mountain bike or have a fravel bike there's additional places you can go.

for hiking I would probably choose fall to avoid black fly season. If you plan on serious hiking get a hike safe card. Be aware that trail conditions can be dangerous after a rain and weather conditions can change quickly. If you want short easy hikes you could actually stay in Concord NH and hike then take a warm afternoon to rent a kayak on the Contoocook River. Or rent a bike. Nearby Warner NH has small Mt. Keararge and an interesting Indian Museum.

This is why I need glasses… thanks for reply! Cheers